Madras High Court annuls state govt’s acquisition of Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence

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The acquisition of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence in Chennai by the state government was annulled on Wednesday by the Madras High Court.</p>
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The verdict came on a petition filed against the takeover of the late Jayalalitha’s sprawling house by her niece and nephew J Deepa and J Deepak who are her legal heirs.</p>
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The erstwhile AIADMK government had proposed to convert the home– Veda Nilayam –into a memorial.  The AIADMK had contended that the party has a "responsibility and right" to convert the house into a memorial and that this was the “wholehearted desire of the people of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK party workers.”</p>
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But Jayalalithaa's niece and nephew, who were declared her legal heirs by the court, had argued that the takeover would amount to "grabbing the property".</p>
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In July last year, the state government had deposited Rs  67.9 crore in a city court to take possession of the 0.55-acre property.</p>
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Jayalalithaa, revered as Amma across the state, had died in December 2016 after a prolonged illness. The four-time Chief Minister, known for her Amma canteens and a host of other welfare measures, was an icon for the masses in the state.</p>